Notes from today’s articles. First, Dominican Winter League Report
the Azucareros are giving playing time to super-prospect Andy Marte at third base.
Speaking of Marte, he’s off to a solid start, hitting .281/.406/.439 with nine walks in 13 games and 32 at bats. He just has two extra-base hits (a double and a homer) but you have to be impressed with his strike zone judgment so far in a league with so many veteran and quality pitchers…
Braves LHP Jung Bong left the Cibao Giants after a mild ankle strain he suffered didn’t heal properly. Bong wasn’t expected to miss any starts, but never did return after suffering the injury Nov. 8 in San Pedro de Macoris. Another injured and not-returning Brave is OF Ryan Langerhans, arguably the league’s best player the first two weeks of the season. Langerhans had knee problem after hitting .400/.467/.600 to start the season.
That’s a Premium article. Live from the (Mock) Winter Meetings is not…
ATLANTA
Traded Jung Bong to Minnesota for Lew Ford
Traded Wilson Betemit to New York (AL) for Jeff Weaver
Signed Trot Nixon: 2 years, $8 million
Signed Shannon Stewart: 3 years, $20 million
Signed Steve Reed: 1 year, $1.5 million
Signed Javy Lopez: 2 years, $12 million
Signed Pedro Astacio: 1 year, $300,000The Braves pulled off the free-agent signing of the day, grabbing Trot Nixon–another Red Sox non-tender–for a price that had other GMs gasping at the news. (In fairness, there was some confusion about which agent was representing Nixon, with the result that some GMs were negotiating with the wrong person. Kind of like Luis Castillo in real life.) The additional signing of Shannon Stewart allowed the Braves to move Chipper Jones back to third and still make the newly-freed Lew Ford the fourth outfielder. Jeff Weaver may be damaged goods, but if anyone can fix him, it’s Leo Mazzone.
Ha. We wish they’d do that. Or done that, in Javy’s case. Steve Reed is an interesting idea; there were rumors of the Braves trading for him during the season.
Isn’t Shannon Stewart already inked by the Twins? Also, we can’t touch Javy until May.
I would like that Trot Nixon signing, but that’s contingent on too many things. First, he has to be non-tendered by the Red Sox, and I don’t know if they are under the financial strain that would require that move to be made (I doubt it.) Second, I think he would get higher offers, pushing the price to something I wouldn’t be such a fan of.
It will be interesting to see who is non-tendered, as that will give the Braves more options at RF, 3B, RP, and possibly 1B or SP. However, as of right now, I think DeRosa should get the 3B job.
Also, in the article, it has Robert Fick getting a 2-year, $7.5 million contract from the Angels. Wow.
Reed would have been a great idea. Unfortunately he has already resigned with the Rockies.
Sigh. It figures. Bobby never really appreciated him anyway. I think Reed caused Clontz flashbacks. Hey, whatever happened to him, anyway?